Method for producing alimentary paste foods from starchy flours of low protein content



Dec. 22, 1964 E. KAUFMANN 3,162,536

METHOD FR PRODUCING ALIMENTARY PASTE FOODS FROM sTARcHY FLoURs oF LowPROTEIN CONTENT Filed oct. 18, 1960 United States Patent O 3 162 536METHGD FSR PRDUCEG ALEMENTARY PASTE FDS FRM SARCHY FLGURS F LW PR@- TENCGNTENT Ernst Kaufmann, Seniat Gatien, Switzerland, assigner toGehrueder Enabler, Uzwii, Switzerland, a Swiss tiran iied Oct. i8, 196%,Ser. No. 63,207 Claims priority, appiication Switzerland ct. 19, 1959 6Claims. tCi. 9-5) This invention relates to a method and apparatus forproducing alimentary paste foods and, more particularly, to a method andapparatus for producing such foods from starchy iours of low proteincontent.

While starchy fleurs produced from manioc tubers, peanuts, chestnuts,potatoes, and the like, possess a high food value, because of their lowprotein content they cannot be used like wheat flour and the like formaking conventional alimentary paste food products such as spaghetti.Attempts have been made heretofore to produce sterling food productsfrom such hours. @ne method, for example, consists in forming a flourand moistening such our with lukewarm or coid water and then pressingthe moistened flour. As the moistened hour leaves the press, the mass issubdivided into small pieces which are of tough or hard consistency.Such product, however, can only be fried in hot oil or fat and cannot beboiled in water like spaghetti or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wholesome pastefood of hivh food value from fleurs of manioc tubers, peanuts,chestnuts, potatoes and the like.

It is a further object to provide 'such a product which may be boiled inwater like spaghetti.

According to the present invention, a paste foods product is formed fromstarchy, low protein iiours by intimately mixing such our with hotwater, vacuum treating the dough formed in the mixing step and pressingand heating the vacuum treated dough and extruding it from a press.

Apparatus for carrying out the invention includes a mixing chamber, avacuum chamber conveyor means between the mixing chamber and vacuumchamber, a heated pressiue chamber, a pressure screw in the pressurechamber, and an extrusion head at the exit end of the pressure chamber.

One form of an alimentary paste press suited for carrying out the methodaccording to the instant invention is diagrammatically shown in theaccompanying drawing.

The press comprises a mixing chamber i having .therein a mixer shaft 2and a feed screw 3 for moving dough from mixing chamber l into a vacuumtrough 4 from which it is transferred by a feed reel 5 into a pressurecylinder 6. Pressure cylinder 6 is provided with a pressure screw orworm 7. Extrusion head 8 is connected to the forward or exit end ofpressure cylinder 6 and a die lil is secured to extrusion head S by' acap nut 9. A knife 12, driven from a shaft 1i, rotates on the deliveryor exit side of die l0. lressure cylinder 6 and extrusion head 8 aresurrounded by a heating jacket i3 which is heated by hot water or steamwhich enters at l5 and is discharged at 16. Motor l? is connected bygears 18 to worm 7 and by belts 19 to mixer shaft 2, feed screw 3 andfeed reel 5.

In operation, the starchy ours of low protein content are put intomixing chamber 1. The starchy ilour may be a fiour from one of the lowprotein food products, such as manioc tubers, peanuts, chestnuts, orpotatoes, or may be a mixture or blend of such ours. For example, thefollowing composition of blended ours has been discovered to be laparticularly useful mixture:

60 parts by weight of manioc our;

l5 parts of peanut flour degreased to a maximum fat content of 8%; and

25 pants of wheat tiour.

ice

Hot water is added to this composition in such amount that the watercontent of the resulting dough is from 30 to 40% by weight ofthe wetsubstance. The temperature of the water added is from Iapproximately C.to 100 C. to produce a dough temperature of approximately 40 to 45 C. inthe mixing chamber.

Maintaining the temperature of the dough at between approximately 40 C.to 45 C., the flour composition and water are intimately mixed forapproximately twenty minutes and then moved by feed screw 3 into vacuumtrough 4 where the mixed dough is subjected to a vacuum treatment toremove free The evacuated dough is moved by feed reel 5 from vacuumtrough 4 into pressure cylinder 6 wherein pressure screw 7 forces thedough into extrusion head S. As the dough moves through pressurecylinder 6, the temperature of the dough is increased to approximately80 C. by the passage of hot water or steam through heating jacket 13.From extrusion head 8, the dough is forced outwardly through die l0where it is cut by knife 12.

The heating of the dough in the pressure cylinder 6 to a iarge extenthydrates the starch present in the low protein Hours. Thus, the strands4of dough pressed out through die 10 are gelatinized not only on theirsurface but throughout their body. On discharge from die l0, the doughstrands are cut into desired lengths, for example, the strands may becut into lengths similar to grains of rice. The cut strands or grainsare then dried in any known manner to an ultimate moisture content of l0to 12% by weight.

Products produced in this manner when tested in the uncooked state bytheso-called chewing test, have 'an elastically yieldable characterwhich may be attributed to the gelatinization of the starch throughoutthe cut strands or grains. i l tete] It is, of course, possible todeviate from the proportions recited in the above example. Depending onthe particular properties of the starchy hours of low protein cmployed,the composition of the flour and the water content of the dough and theprocessing temperature applied thereto may be adapted to the variousneeds.

The hour may be in a pure form or intermixed by adding wheat flour,grits or middlings, or rice hour, depending on the properties desired inthe nished product.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognizedthat various modifications are possible within the scope of theinvention claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for producing paste foods from starchy, low protein flourselected from the group consisting of manioc tubers, peantus, chestnuts,potatoes and mixtures and blends thereof comprising, the steps ofintimately mixing such flour with water at a temperature of fromapproximately 80 to 100 C. for approximately twenty minutes to form adough, vacuum treating said dough to remove free water therefrom,pressing the vacuum treated dough and, while pressing the vacuum treateddough, increasing the temperature of said dough to approximately 80 C.,extruding said pressed and heated dough, cutting said extruded doughinto lengths and, thereafter, drying said extruded and cut dough toreduce the moisture content thereof to an ultimate moisture content of10% to 12% by weight of the dried dough.

2. ln a method of producing paste food products as recited in claim 1wherein a high protein component selected from the group consisting ofgrits and middlings and the ilours of wheat and rice is added to thestarchy, low protein flour before said water is added thereto.

3. A method for producingl paste food from starchy, low protein flourselected from the group consisting of manioc tubers, peanuts, chestnuts,potatoes and mixtures and blends thereof, Yc ompnisirig the steps ofintimately mixing seh Hein" with Water Heated t a temperature notsubstantially less than 80 C. and not substantially greater than 10U C.to forni a dough of said flour andsaid water at a dough Atemperature notsubstantially lower than 40" C. and not substantially higher than 45 C.,while maintainingsaid dough Iat a Ateinperatiire not substantially lcWerthan 40 C. and not substantially higher than 45 C., Vacuuin treatingsaid dough t remove free air therefrin and, thereafter, pressing andheating the Vacuum 'treated dough t6 a temperature not substantiallyhigher 'than 80- C; and extrudirig said pressed and heated dough.

4. In the method recited in claim 3 wherein a high protein our is addedto said starchy, low protein flour before ht Water is added to saidflour.

5. In a method as recited in yclaim 3 wherein the water content of themixed dough is from approximately 30% to 40% by Weight of the wetsubstance.

6. In a method as recited in claim 4 wherein the Water content of themixed dough isy from approximately 30% to 40% by Weight of the Wetsubstance.

References Cited in the le of this patent; UNITED STATES PATENTS2,704,723 Poole p Mar. 22, 195,5

2,708,636 Rivoche May 17, 1955 2,868,144 Anlbletti ....7 Jan. `13, 19592,914,005 DOIIde GOOZP NOV. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 568,093 GreatBritain Mar. 19, 1945

1. A METHOD FOR PRODUCING PASTE FOODS FROM STARCHY, LOW PROTEIN FLOURSELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MANIOC TUBERS, PEANUTS, CHESTNUTS,POTATOES AND MIXTURES AND BLENDS THEREOF COMPRISING, THE STEPS OFINTIMATELY MIXING SUCH FLOUR WITH WATER AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM APPROXIMATELY 80* TO 100*C. FOR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MINUTES TO FORM ADOUGH, VACUUM TREATING SAID DOUGH TO REMOVE FREE WATER THEREFROM,PRESSING THE VACUUM TREATED DOUGH AND, WHILE PRESSING THE VACUUM TREATEDDOUGH, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID DOUGH TO APPROXIMATELY 80*C.,EXTRUDING SAID PRESSED AND HEATED DOUGH, CUTTING SAID EXTRUDED AND CUTDOUGH TO REDUCE THE MOISTURE CONTENT THEREOF TO AN ULTIMATE MOISTURECONTENT OF 10% TO 12% BY WEIGHT OF THE DRIED DOUGH.